For Lippert, Library Work Fits Into Her Lifestyle - Yankton Daily Press

Library Assistant Susie Lippert likes just about everything there is about her job at the Yankton Community Library (YCL).

Recently, Lippert was among four Yankton librarians certified by the South Dakota Library Association at its annual conference in late September.

When not assisting library patrons, the Yankton native helps cover the circulation desk, catalogs library materials; plans and prepares the adult craft nights; assists with adult programming and works with community partners to run the Yankton Seed Library.

Lippert has a bachelor of arts in Elementary Education, a master of arts in Christian Education and a certificate in Library Management from the South Dakota State Library Training Institute, which she earned in 2018.

After receiving her certification, Lippert discussed the certification program with the Press & Dakotan, as well as her job at the library.

What drew you to working at the Library?

When I accepted the part-time position at the library five years ago, I was looking for a job where I could do something that might make a difference in someone’s day, and also (allow me to) be available for my family. As I got to know more about all that the library offers to the community, and experienced the culture then-director Kathy Wibbels had created, I wanted to be a bigger part of that. The responsibilities and timing were a great fit with my skill set and family needs.

What is involved in getting certified?

There are three different levels of certification, depending on the level of education library staff have completed. To be a Grade I Library Staff, you must have a master’s degree in librarianship or other related field, a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and completion of the South Dakota Library Training Institute or a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution plus a minor in Library Science or Library Media. Certification is valid for three years. To renew at the same level requires 30 hours of continuing education during those three years.

How do certified librarians better serve the community?

Certification is a recognition of the knowledge and skills staff have acquired. The goal of the program is to ensure library staff are continuing to expand their knowledge and skills as the demand for what we need to be prepared to do in order to serve our community continues to grow. A substantial and beneficial part of that training can be accomplished by attending the South Dakota Library Association (SDLA) annual conference, Branch Out (a biennial conference also sponsored by the SDLA) or other training events sponsored by the State Library like Jump Start and Library Training Institute. All of these trainings bring librarians from South Dakota together to share ideas and network. This allows us to have a bigger view of what can be done through libraries and makes us better equipped to serve our own communities.

What do you like most about working in the library profession?

There isn’t really much of anything I don’t like! I truly enjoy the tasks I’m assigned. I always tell people I feel like all the jobs I’ve done in the past have worked together to equip me to work in the library.

When I first interviewed for the library job, I was asked where I saw myself in five years. For the first time in my life, I didn’t have an answer to that question. My children were both graduating from high school during that time period, and I had no idea what my life would look like after having been a work-at-home mother for most of their lives. That kind of troubled me, so I decided I needed to be intentional about the choices I made moving forward.

I’m very thankful to have the opportunity to work in a profession that allows me to be available to my family when they need me, while also providing an outlet for me to use a variety of my skills to help others.

Additionally, I cherish the relationships I have built with my peers and colleagues from across the state, especially through serving as the support staff chair on the SDLA Executive Board.

What’s your favorite book and why?

That is a really tough question! After a full day of looking at computer monitors, I LOVE audiobooks! Mostly non-fiction, although recently I’ve been finding some new fiction authors I enjoy. Favorite non-fiction is “Braving the Wilderness” by Brene Brown; favorite fiction is “My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry” by Fredrik Bacikman. But if I could only have one book for the rest of my life, it would definitely be the Bible. It’s the living, breathing Word of God, and the manual for my life.

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